Angry parents demand more safety in New Rochelle following recent stabbings

NEW ROCHELLE, New York (WABC) -- So many anxious parents showed up to Thursday's special school board meeting in New Rochelle. They couldn't fit in the hearing room and were shut out from hearing a parade of speakers, letting district officials have it.

The New Year has not been calm at New Rochelle High School. In the span of eight days, three students have been stabbed. Last week, a 16-year-old girl was killed, allegedly by a classmate at a nearby Dunkin Donuts.

On Wednesday, another teen was jumped and slashed by a group of kids. Police say the victim in that case walked into a classroom with a knife and stabbed a fellow student two times before running out.

"The safety and security of our students is paramount," says School Board President Rachel Relkin.

On Thursday, the school board scrapped an already scheduled executive session to allow parents a chance to be heard.

Officials were paying attention, and announced new security changes like more officers patrolling around and inside the school - random searches of students arriving, and also banning students from leaving during the day. Banning students from leaving already was the rule, it just wasn't enforced, parents say, which led up to this.

"Respect needs to be maintained no matter what, because if there's no respect, there's no communication, and what's the point of this all?" says Senior Class President Ever Mack.